Search - Michio Miyagi :: Koto Music

Miyagi's Modern Music: Koto Inventions

Dr. Debra Jan Bibel | Oakland, CA USA | 07/12/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Blind since the age of seven, Michio Miyagi (1894-1956) became a musician, and after studying Western musical compostion and instruments, he brought the koto into the twentieth century. Indeed, he invented the juschichigen, a 17-string bass koto and other variants for use in his own modern compositions. This recording of his music, performed masterly by Tadao Sawai with Kazue Sawai, presents some of the Miyagi's large output (more than 350 works), beginning with his first significant piece of 1909. Like that of earlier, traditional compositions, water and nature are the themes. Compositions here involve duets, including the bass koto. The track Mizu No Hentai is of alternating vocal accompaniment. Technically challenging, occasionally rapid, and unorthdox in the chordal sound, via the two kotos, these works, with one foot in the traditional classical realm and the other in the modern age provide a new, refreshing perspective to the koto sound. Thus, this recording of a single, pioneering composer should be of interest to those who enjoy classical Japanese music on traditional instruments."